Thomas lincoln



(No Model.)

T. LINCOLN.

LOCK.

No. 450,745. Patented Apr. 21,1891.

U Nl-TED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

THOMAS LINCOLN, OF BROOKLYN, NElY YORK.

LOCK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 450,745, dated April 21, 1891.

Application filed November 6, 1890. Serial No. 370,480. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS LINCOLN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Looks; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to letters and figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

The object of this invention is to secure certain advantageous results and to overcome certain objections to some of the looks or escutoheons of the class to which my improvement relates; and the invention consists in the improved escutcheon and in the combination and arrangement of the operating parts connected therewith, as herein set forth, and finally pointed out in the claims.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, in which similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in each of the several figures, Figure 1 represents a front plan view of an escutcheon embodying myimprovements, and Fig. 2 is a rear plan view of the same. Fig. 3 represents in elevation my improved escutcheon, and Fig. i an elevation of the same reversed. Fig. 5 is a central vertical transverse section, taken through line 00 of Fig. 1, showing certain of the working parts in the escutcheon; and Fig. 0 is a horizontal section taken through line y of the same. Figs. 7, S, 9, 10, and 11 represent detail views of the tumblers, bridge-plate, and key, respectively.

In said drawings, (L indicates the outer cylinder or escuteheon; b, the plug; 0, the bridgeplate; (1,8, and f, the tumblers, and g an arm rigidly secured to the rear end of the plug and which engages with and works the bolt of the lock. The latter I have not deemed it necessary to show or describe, because it is of ordinary construction and connects with the escutcheon in the ordinary manner, and hence is not requisite to a proper understanding of the invention.

The plug 1) fits snugly into a socket formed in the escutcheon therefor and rotates or partially rotates therein when actuated by the proper key, and thereby works the arm g, which is rigidly connected to said plug by means of a screw 1) and a lug b as indicated in Figs. 1 and 5, and thereby actuates the lock-bolt, as above stated, and as will be understood upon reference to the drawings.

The bridge-plate c is fitted snugly into a groove out transversely into the escutcheon a, Figs. 4, 5, and (l, and engages in a corresponding groove in the plug Z), Figs. 5 and 6, cut so as to allow said plug to rotate or turn, as will be understood. The bridge-plate is held in position by a screw 71 and may be re moved by backing said screw, which can be done by turning the arm 9 far enough to uncover the head of the screw to admit of access thereto with a screw-driver when it is desired to remove the plug for purposes of repairor adjustment of the parts.

The tumblers (Z, c, and f are round in crosssection and lit and work longitudinally in corresponding longitudinal cavities in the plug 1), each tumbler being provided with an annular groove 0' in its periphery, but diifering from one another in respect to location, as indicated in Figs. 7, S, and 9, the purpose of which will presently appear. Said tumblers, as above stated, work longitudinally, instead of being lifted vertically, as in ordinary locks of this character, and are pressed inward one after another by the key, which is provided with graduated shoulders 1 2 3 to engage them for the purpose until the said grooves c all coincide with the bridge-plate, when the plug will be free to turn and thereby actuate the lock-bolt. lVhen the key is withdrawn, the tumblers are caused to resume their normal position again by means of springs s, as indicated in Fig. 5, and while the tumblers remain thus in their normal position the plug cannot be turned, as they ongage in grooves 6 Fig. 11, formed in the bridgeplate, and thereby prevent rotation, as will be understood upon reference to Figs. 5 and 6, in connection with said Fig. 11. It will be observed that each of said tumbers is provided with a stem 6, which is smaller than the body thereof and enters the upper coils of the spring and aids to steady the tumblers and hold the springs in proper position, as indicated in Figs. 5, 7, 8, and 9.

IOO

To enable the plug to be rotated by the key, the latter is provided with a lug or feather 4:, which enters a groove 5 in the wall of the plug, whereby said plug may be turned to 5 actuate the lock-bolt. Said key is also provided with a stem 6, which enters an aperture 7 in the plug and serves to steady the key, as will be understood.

Although I have, in connection with my to improvement, only referred hereinabove to actuating a lock-bolt, I desire it to be understood that it is intended to include either lock-bolts or latch-bolts, or both. By changing the relations of the grooves in the tum- I 5 blers and of the shoulders on the key, as well as by increasing the number of tumblers, an almost infinite number of changes can be made, as will be obvious,

20 I claim as new, and wish to have secured by Letters Patent of the United States, is'

I. The improved escutcheon for locks i herein described, consisting of an outer cylinder having a longitudinal socket and a 2 5 transverse groove therein, a plug working in said. soclzet,la stationary bridge-plate fitted therein, of tumblers adapted to work longi- 5 tudinally in said plug and provided with annular grooves in their peripheries, and a stationary bridge-plate adapted, when the tumblers are pressed inward by the key, to coincide with said grooves to permit the plug to 40 rotate and provided with notches or grooves to engage said tumblers when notpressed by the key to prevent said plug from being ro- 1 tated, as described, forthe'purposes set forth. Having thus described my inventiomwhat In testimony that I claim the foregoing I 5 have hereunto set my hand this 1st day of November, 1890;

THOMAS LINCOLN.

Witnesses OLIVER DRAKE, OSCAR A. MICHEL. 

